


Out of the Ordinary

by the_technicolor_whiscash



Category: Twin Peaks
Genre: Fluff, M/M, based mid season two, figuring out feelings, like major, like who killed Laura Palmer major, little bit of angst in there I think, major spoilers for season two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-26
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2019-05-28 20:09:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15056837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_technicolor_whiscash/pseuds/the_technicolor_whiscash
Summary: It’s Agent Cooper’s last day in Twin Peaks, and Harry is figuring out how to deal with that.





	Out of the Ordinary

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact I was going to have this originally be a Groundhog Day au but I realized that that could get incredibly long and i don’t have the patience at this point for something like that. However, in the future, I may actually write one.

When Harry awoke one morning, nothing felt out of the ordinary. He was groggy, but that was usual. Crawling out of bed, he threw on his tan shirt and pants, grabbed his coat, and headed out the door. 

Things in the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department has begun to wind down. Leland Palmer was dead, and the only thing left to do was the paperwork and the wake, which was to be in two days. 

He had thought that the catching of Laura’s killer would be fulfilling in some way. A kind of victory, good winning against evil, that sort of thing. But he just felt bland. Sad, even. Leland had been an important member of the town, and the fact that he had been the one to kill Laura bothered Harry beyond all comprehension. Plus, there were still a few things that hadn’t been solved. Who shot Cooper? How did Bob end up possessing Leland? What did all of this mean, in the long run?

In the office, Lucy greeted him miserably. “Good morning, Sheriff Truman.”

“Morning, Lucy. How you doing?”

“Poorly. I’ve got a real bad headache, and I think it may be sinus related, but it could also be a migraine. I’ve read that they occur in the same place, and my family has a history of migraines, so that got me to worrying.”

Harry was seconds away from getting a headache himself. “Well, I hope you feel better soon.”

Before Lucy could continue talking about headaches, Harry made his way into the small breakroom, poured himself a cup of coffee, grabbed a donut, and headed into his office. Agent Cooper was already there, sipping coffee and leaning against Harry’s desk. 

“Morning, Coop.” Harry said, sliding into his desk chair. 

“Good morning, Harry.” Cooper turned around to face him. “Something’s bothering you.”

Damn. Cooper was always astute, and never more than when he was reading Harry’s emotions. “It’s this whole Leland business. It’s just… I don’t know. It’s so messed up. It’s not something you would expect from a small, close-knit town like Twin Peaks.”

“Twin Peaks is a town that seems to be filled with secrets. Everyone, from the teens to the elderly, has their own agenda.” He took another sip of coffee. “It’s almost surreal. You weren’t kidding when you said there was something dark in these woods.”

“Yeah. The Bookhouse Boys have been busier in the last month than we’ve been in years.” 

“I’ve been to some odd towns in my day, but Twin Peaks is by far the weirdest. I’ll be sad to leave.”

Harry felt a twinge of sadness in his stomach. He had almost forgotten that Coop was going to leave after the case was closed. He had gotten used to Coop’s presence around Twin Peaks. “So when are you planning on leaving?”

“Actually, I was going to leave today. Slip out before the wake. Albert will be stopping by in order to do a further autopsy and toxicology, but Twin Peaks doesn’t need me anymore.” There was a hint of pain in his voice. “I’ll be off to the next troubled town, investigating yet another dark, gloomy murder.”

“Sounds like a lonely life.”

“Only if you let it be. I always try my best to make friends in each of the towns I go to, though once I leave, nothing lasts. But I’m not going to lie, Harry, I’ll be sad to leave you. To leave Twin Peaks. It’s a special town.”

Harry chuckled. “More murders per capita than New York City.”

“No town is without flaws.” Coop floated towards the window, where he gazed out at something beyond Harry’s range of vision. “I’ll miss these trees, though. And the clearness of the air. And the sound that a light breeze makes on a clear night.”

Harry felt his stomach twisting tighter, but he couldn’t understand why. Maybe it was the sheer dramatics of Cooper’s words that made him feel that way. “Coop, you’re a born poet. Thoreau would be jealous.”

“Ah, but Thoreau wrote about New England. Washington state and this whole area is a completely different type of country.” Coop gave a hint of a smile. “I studied Thoreau briefly in college. However, I decided a career in law enforcement would be a better option than books and poetry.”

“And has it been?”

“Well, being an author would have resulted in being shot at significantly less. But so far it has paid off. I’ve met a lot of interesting people, and seen a lot of interesting things. And if I decided to become an author, I would have many more stories to write now.”

“Well, when you do write a book, I’d love to read it.”

Coop looked over his shoulder at Harry, pure sincerity on his face. It was a look that Harry had seen a few times, and it didn’t make that feeling in his stomach go away any quicker. “I’ll send you the first copy.”

A moment of silence passed between the two of them. Harry felt like he wanted to say something, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what. And there was something in the air, some kind of tension that Harry hadn’t felt in a long time. 

The silence was broken by Lucy’s voice over the intercom. “Sheriff Truman, I have your schedule for the day. Visiting Sarah Palmer, meeting Shelly Johnson at the Double R, finding the Log Lady and asking her a few questions, and running through crime scene documents. Oh, and meeting Agent Rosenfield when he comes, though I don’t know when that’s going to be.”

“Alright, thanks, Lucy. I’ll get right to it.” Harry turned to Cooper. “Wanna come with me? One last hurrah, before you leave forever?”

“Forever’s a long time, Harry. But there’s nothing else I’d rather do on my last day in Twin Peaks.”

Harry threw on his hat and the duo headed out to complete the tasks on Lucy’s list. Sarah Palmer was in a bad way, so they decided to come back at a later date. Shelly had been shaken up by the business with Leo, but she was alright, and there were no leads telling where the man could be. Harry was perfectly fine having Leo disappear into the woods and never come back. The man was more trouble than he was worth. 

He and Coop settled for one last lunch at the Double R. Harry ordered a sandwich and, as usual, Coop had pie. Both of them had coffee, black. 

“One of the things I’ll miss most about this town is the pie.” Cooper said, halfway through his second slice. “It might very well be the best pie I’ve ever eaten, and I have eaten a lot of pie in my time.”

“Norma’s a fantastic baker. I’m sure you can buy one for the road, if you wanna take it with you.”

“I may just do that.” He flagged down Shelly and ordered not one, but three different pies for the road. 

Harry laughed and shook his head. “I don’t know how you manage to stay fit, eating what you do.”

“Exercise, Harry. Exercise and mental balance are the key to a healthy body. It doesn’t matter what you eat, so long as you keep your mind healthy.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind.” He took another bite out of his sandwich, but he wasn’t that hungry. The parting of ways was never good for his appetite, and with Coop, it was even worse. “I’m gonna miss having you around. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to solve this case.”

“Oh, I’m sure you would’ve. Might not have done it as fast, but you’re a smart bunch. Plus, there was evidence everywhere. Any case can be solved with enough dedication.”

“I guess you’re right. But I’ll still miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, Harry. I’ll miss all of you. I’ll miss the whole town. But it’s out of my control.” 

Harry just now noticed that Coop’s knuckles were rubbing against his, where their hands rested on the table. A part of him wanted to take Coop’s hand into his. But that would be weird, right? Friends don’t normally hold hands in the middle of restaurants. Then why did he want to do it so badly?

“You seem deep in thought.” Harry was jolted from his mind and back into the conversation when Coop spoke again. 

“I’m just thinking.”

“What about?”

Jesus. He couldn’t tell him what he really was thinking about. Thinking about it was weird enough, but talking about it would be so much worse. “Just about the case and how weird everything was surrounding it. It almost feels wrong for it to be over, for us to be moving on.”

Coop looked skeptical, like he knew that Harry had just pulled that answer out of his ass, but he didn’t question it any further. “I know. And for a lot of people, they won’t be moving on. Sarah Palmer may never be the same.”

“Right.”

“Murder isn’t something that goes away quickly, especially in a small town. And things don’t die down nearly as quickly as Murder, She Wrote says that they do.”

Harry smiled slightly. “Yeah, well, I don’t think Murder, She Wrote is a good reference for actual murders. Jessica Fletcher contaminates crime scenes practically every episode.”

“There are theories out there that Jessica herself is committing all of these murders.”

“Wouldn’t that mean that she’s killed, like, hundreds of people?”

“I never said they were accurate theories.”

Harry checked his watch. “We should probably be on our way. The Log Lady usually isn’t hard to find, but we should give ourselves some time to look just in case we can’t find her.”

“Now, that is one of the most unique things about Twin Peaks. I’ve never met another Log Lady, and I doubt I ever will again.”

“She’s special, alright.”

Cooper retrieved his pies, and they proceeded to search the town for Log Lady. Surprisingly enough, she was nowhere to be found, not even in her weird cabin in the woods. But they would have to continue their search later. Agent Rosenfield was here, and as always, had made a bad impression on the deputies. 

“Albert!” Coop said, excitedly hugging the far less amiable agent. “How’ve you been?”

“Driving for ages. Every time I come to Twin Peaks, the drive seems to take longer. Let’s just get this over with.” Without even acknowledging Harry, Albert proceeded outside and into his car. 

Harry smirked. “Always nice to see you too, Agent Rosenfield.”

“He gets better once you get to know him.” Coop clapped Harry on the shoulder. 

“I’ve gotten to know that I don’t like him.”

“That does seem to be the general consensus.”

“How come you like him?”

“We are two men engaging in a common goal, and that goal is to find the truth. Plus, he’s a damn fine card player. Even when I count the cards, I can’t seem to beat him.”

Harry frowned. “You know that means he’s probably cheating, right? And technically so are you?”

“Of course I know that, Harry. Makes for a more interesting game. It has, however, gotten me kicked out of several casinos.”

“That’s what I expected.”

“Enough about my personal flaws, we can’t keep Albert waiting or else he’ll crucify you. Come on.”

They took the police cruiser to the hospital, where Albert had arrived several minutes beforehand and was already in his medical examiner gear. “It’s about time.”

Harry was about to say something rude, but decided to keep it to himself. “How long do you think it’ll take you to do?”

“I can have the basic autopsy done in a few hours. I’ll also run toxicology and a few other tests, and send some things to my lab, since your equipment makes Newton’s instruments look modern. Full results will be here in a few days.”

“Thanks, Albert.” He turned to Coop and whispered, “Is he going to be here for those few days?”

“No, he’ll probably just mail you the information.” Coop whispered back. 

“Good. Because if he were here for longer than a day, I’d be on trial myself for shooting him in the kneecap.”

“You’ve already heard his spheal about not fighting back.”

“Yes, but I’d still take great pleasure in shooting him.”

“It’s not the recommended route if you want to keep your job.” Cooper returned his voice to its normal volume. “Albert, we’re going to go. We still haven’t found the Log Lady yet, and time is ticking by.”

“Go ahead. You know where I’ll be.” Albert paused. “Can I borrow the Sheriff for a moment?”

Harry looked confusedly at Cooper, who simply nodded before exiting the room. 

“So, Sheriff Truman, I have one question for you, and if you don’t answer truthfully, I’ll be able to tell that you’re lying.”

“This is a fun conversation.”

“Extremely. Now, Sheriff, tell me. Are you or are you not currently dating Agent Cooper?”

Harry’s eyes widened. “Dating? Why the hell would we be dating?”

“Because, the two of you act like a damn teenage couple ready to go necking in the woods.” 

“I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t say that, necessarily.”

“You’re easier to read than the hospital pamphlets about smoking causing cancer, Truman. If Coop hasn’t picked it up yet, then I’ll move to Twin Peaks.”

Everything began to click in Harry’s mind. What he felt towards Cooper wasn’t just normal friendship. That was now obvious. He was in love with the guy, even though he had only known him for a month. “Shit.”

“If I were you, I’d tell him before he leaves. That way, you can have the proper, sappy goodbye.” 

Harry was almost shocked at the fact that Albert was giving him actual advice instead of just insulting everything that had to do with him. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Sure thing, Truman. And I’m going to tell you one last thing. I’d jump your bones myself if you weren’t so clearly into Cooper.”

Now, Harry was genuinely shocked. “Why did you tell me this?”

“Because no one will ever believe you.”

“Son of a bitch. You’re right.” 

Before he could hear another word out of Albert’s bizarre mouth, Harry headed out the door. Cooper had been waiting outside, though whether he had heard the conversation or not Harry had no idea. 

“What did Albert have to say?” Coop asked, as they made their way down to the parking lot. 

“You don’t want to know.”

“You didn’t shoot him, did you?”

“Of course not, Coop. Do you actually think that I would shoot him?”

“No, but I wouldn’t blame you if you did.” 

After a few more hours of driving, the Log Lady was nowhere to be found and the gas in the tank was running low. They decided to call it a night, heading back to the Sheriff’s Station. 

“Well, Harry,” Coop began, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I guess this is goodbye.” 

“I guess so. It’s been one wild month with you here.” A sad smile crossed Harry’s face. “Is there anything I can say that would make you stay?”

“Like I said, it’s not under my control. If it were, I would stay here forever. I would buy a house in Twin Peaks and move here. I would live in the town, and work in the town, and get to know the town when it’s not torn apart by murder.” 

Harry took a deep breath. And then he decided to take the biggest risk he’d ever taken. He brought his lips to Cooper’s, in what he had intended to be a quick kiss. However, Cooper had other plans, leaning deeply into the kiss, planting his hand on the back of Harry’s neck, pulling him closer. 

“Damn.” Coop said breathlessly. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever do that.”

“How did you know? I didn’t even know.”

“I didn’t, not really. But I certainly hoped.”

“Yeah, I only just realized earlier when Albert pointed it out.” Harry smiled. “He also mentioned that he wanted to jump my bones, and I think I understand what that means just enough to know that I don’t want that to happen.”

“Albert’s a lover, not a fighter, and I mean that literally.” 

“What about you, Coop? Are you a lover or a fighter?”

“Both, ideally. Fight when necessary, and love as much as you can.” 

He kissed Harry once again, this time much slower, more passionately. This time, they both knew what they were doing. 

“I love you, Coop.” Harry said, his face barely removed from Cooper’s. “Please don’t leave.” 

“God knows I don’t want to. I think I can probably postpone my departure until after Leland’s wake, but I don’t know if my superiors will let me stay beyond that.”

Harry understood that. He understood that working for the FBI meant that Cooper would have to leave eventually. But that didn’t stop tears from prickling in his eyes. “I really wish you could stay.”

“I know. I’ll do everything I can to stay here with you. In my years travelling around, I’ve never met anyone like you, and I know I’ll never meet anyone like you again. If it were in my power, I’d stay here forever.” 

Suddenly, as they stood there on the steps to the Sheriff’s Department, one of the dark clouds overhead began to rain. In the few seconds it took for them to get inside, it soaked them to the bone. 

“Talk about ruining a moment.” Harry muttered, trying to squeeze the rain out of his hair. “I think I have a towel or two in my office.”

“Lead the way, Sheriff.” 

Hesitantly, Harry put his arm around Coop’s waist. Thankfully, instead of shirking it off, Cooper leaned into the embrace, putting his own arm around Harry. 

“Harry,” Cooper said quietly, “there’s no need to be worried. I’m right here. I’m not going to suddenly turn you away. I love you, too.” 

He didn’t even know why he had been worried. Cooper wanted this… whatever this was, just as much as Harry did. 

And so they made their way into Harry’s office, closing the door behind them. 

—————

Deputy Hawk appeared in front of Lucy’s window. “I told you they’d get together. You owe me $20.”

“Damnit!”

**Author's Note:**

> I’m a professional at jumping on the bandwagon 25+ years late with coffee


End file.
